LEGO® CITY Arctic plays it cool in exclusive LONDON event

This year’s top selling toy range from LEGO® introduces its brand new LEGO® CITY Arctic collection by hosting an exclusive launch event in the National Geographic Store in London

Posted:23 May 2014

Thursday 22nd May marked the launch of the new Arctic sub range by LEGO® CITY, taking its minifigures to the coldest regions on the globe to celebrate Polar expeditions, natural environments and personal exploration. The LEGO® CITY Arctic range was released to a select group of national press and bloggers and included a guest appearance from Polar explorer and brand ambassador Ben Saunders.

Saunders, fresh from his recent polar expedition in February where he successfully retraced the steps of the fated Terra Nova journey by Captain Scott, lead the event with a speech including Arctic fun facts and personal experiences. Guests learned about how to face off against the elements and other animals, such as Polar Bears before being treated to a LEGO® CITY building challenge, led by a specialist LEGO® expert.

In addition, LEGO® CITY used the event to launch its Young Explorers’ Campaign in partnership with National Geographic Kids, where children across the UK can design a piece of equipment or a vehicle that can be used to survive in the Polar Regions. As a celebrated explorer, Saunders will be on hand as a celebrity judge to pick a winner, who will be named as the country’s Young Explorer and receive a holiday package for four to the Polar Regions of Finland.

Guests enjoyed feasting on Arctic themed treats while listening to the tales of the Hunt for the Ice Crystals, which saw LEGO® minifigures race against the elements and an occasional Polar Bear or two.

Parents and children were captivated and enthralled by the imagery and the playability of the sets, and soon became motivated to build the biggest set from the LEGO CITY Arctic range, the Base Camp. Mother, Caroline Westbrook commented: “I’ve always been a massive fan of LEGO® and what I love about the new products is that they engage with everyone, from children to adults. The partnership with a real life explorer who has risked death in order to do something extraordinary really hit home for me. I wish more stories were like this one – where the everyday hero is celebrated with its own partnership with LEGO!” Seven year old Emily Bunder added “The new Arctic toys are so much fun! Each set comes with its own sets of Arctic animals; in one set you get to play with a Polar Bear and a team of huskies. Very cool!”

LEGO CITY Arctic spokesperson, Harry Harrisoncommented: “We are very excited about our launch event to kickstart our partnership with National Geographic Kids and Arctic explorer Ben Saunders. The new products celebrate personal exploration and growth so it is a perfect fit to find someone like Ben who has experienced the extremes of the Polar Region and has lived to tell the tale. He exemplifies what it means to be aLEGO®CITY Arctic ambassador and we are proud to showcase our partnership and our new range to the world.”

LEGO CITY Arctic brand ambassador Ben Saunders commented: “It is every young boy’s dream to work with LEGO and this campaign has been an absolute dream come true! I am proud to be a part of this launch event and to bring my experiences and energy to such a worthwhile competition. Taking part in today’s launch event has been nothing short of amazing and something that I will remember for a long time!”

LEGO® CITY is the largest and longest running brand for The LEGO Group and is the quintessential LEGO® building experience, bringing everyday heroes and scenes to life. In 2014, LEGO® CITY continues to deliver novelty and excitement to its loyal and growing fan base, extending its play universe into the Polar Regions, with the brand new Arctic theme.

LEGO® CITY is the first move into building with the classic LEGO® system bricks. This toybox staple is a classic that encourages children to push the boundaries of their imaginations by recreating environments, while investigating and acting out the familiar patterns of the everyday heroes who live there. With a broad assortment of vehicles and playsets to choose from there’s even more play to be had with the new MY CITY online game and app to take the action further into the digital world.

For further information log on to LEGO.com/YoungExplorer or LEGO.com/CITY

The newLEGO®CITY Arctic collection is suitable for children aged 5+ and is available in toy stores nationwide from June 2014.

PR of the week

In what is believed to be a world-first, Tenderlake, a London, UK-based start-up announced today the release of Tenderlake Genius, an intelligent agent that automatically learns about an organisation’s products and services by reading and analysing the organisation’s website and/or marketing materials, and then creates a steady stream of open opportunities to supply said products and services